THE NAKED SPUR: Blu-ray (MGM, 1953) Warner Archive

Marketed as ‘packed with Technicolor thrills’, Anthony Mann’s The Naked Spur (1953) is neither as inventive nor as nail-biting as some of his other – ‘better’ – westerns, though it looks every bit as ravishing in those glorious hues of 3-strip magnificence. Otherwise, much of the ‘action’ in Sam Rolfe and Harold Jack Bloom’s screenplay is tempered and even void of Mann’s usual flair for creating tension during whole portions of the picture’s rather anemic 1 ½ hour run time. Produced for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, and to star one of its most prominent players – James Stewart – as Howard Kemp, a rugged, and rather ruthless seeker of the $5,000 reward for capturing the even more devious and vile, Ben Vandergroat (Robert Ryan), wanted for the murder of a marshal in Abilene, Kansas, The Naked Spur has received some impossibly high praise throughout the years. Regardless, I am still not a fan, preferring the work Stewart and Mann did for Universal just prior to this movie - Winchester 73’ (1950) and Bend of the River (1952). Stewart, one of MGM’s most amiable leading men, congenial to a fault in Metro’s glossy overtures to the good guy just prior to WWII was to rewrite the rules of his ‘every man’ screen persona after going off to WWII, particularly in these collaborations with Mann. The Naked Spur is #3 on that hit parade, with two more collaborations yet to follow it. But Stewart here has yet to shed the softness of his Teflon-coated and hermetically sealed MGM façade, handcrafted by the studio in its heyday. MGM stars in totem had a certain methodical – even theatrical – training to them – also, an impossibly handsome ‘sheen’. Over the next decade, with age setting in to alter his innocent looks, Stewart would work like mad to eschew this carefully orchestrated persona, and, especially for Mann and Hitchcock, managed to escape it entirely. But here, he hints of that MGM creation in awkward transition – not quite his own, and very much made via Metro’s glamor factory - not entirely convincing as the ‘rugged’ drifter of the old west.

The Naked Spur is significant for having only 5 speaking parts, and not much else in the way of a cast, except, of course, the small contingent of non-descript Indians, momentarily to intrude upon what is essentially a struggle of wills between the entrenched and bitter Kemp and wickedly enterprising, Ben, the bane of his existence. Other roles are filled out by Metro’s stock company – Millard Mitchell (fondly recalled as the harried movie mogul in 1952’s Singin’ in the Rain and, regrettably to die of lung cancer, age 50 shortly after this movie), most successful of The Naked Spur’s motley lot, as wily and weathered codger, Ben Tate, Janet Leigh (thoroughly unconvincing despite her mannish crop of dyed Hollywood platinum, reminiscent of the short, and meticulously styled, curly tresses sported by Ingrid Bergman in 1943’s For Whom the Bell Tolls, herein as Ben’s gal/pal, Lina Patch) and relative newcomer and toughie, Ralph Meeker, as dishonorably discharged union soldier, Roy Anderson (still 2 years away from his iconic moment in the sun in Robert Aldrich’s weird noir, Kiss Me Deadly 1955). But the best performance in the picture is owed Robert Ryan whose celebrated stature as a resident baddie herein plays to a truly corrupt and malignant force of nature, quietly baiting his time and deriving immense pleasure from his insidious ability to slowly erode the camaraderie between Kemp and his cohorts. Arguably, these alliances were already built on some very shaky ground, what with Kemp keeping the $5,000 reward from Tate at the outset – offering him a paltry $20.00 for his efforts to help him bring Ben down from a rocky stronghold at the start of the movie, and, thoroughly suspicion of Anderson, whose slick grin (more Madison Ave. than Montana mountain man) belies his free-flowing and nimble un-trustworthiness.

Ryan so impressed Mann here, he and the director would work together again in 1957’s Men in War and God's Little Acre, one year later.  As for Janet Leigh, she had appeared to better effect opposite Ryan in 1948’s noir thriller, Act of Violence, but otherwise was being rather aggressively groomed by the studio to step into the limelight as their pseudo blonde Venus – a post vacated two decades earlier by the untimely death of MGM’s sex bomb, Jean Harlow. Leigh, however, lacks the oomph of Harlow. Nor is she particularly adept at creating depth of character beyond her glamorized good looks. And thus, in The Naked Spur we have a rather tragically miscast starlet, oddly unable to liberate herself from this studio vision of her ensconced loveliness. Indeed, cinematographer, William C. Mellor affords Leigh several close-ups, lit to perfection, but emphasizing her glycerin gorgeousness, ever-so-slightly tainted, though never entirely concealed, by some well-placed smudges of dirt – also, a painted bruise across her cheek, to suggest a toughened-up lass, born to the wilderness rather than the manor.

Shot in Lone Pine, California and the San Juan Mountains in Colorado, The Naked Spur marked a triumvirate of performances given by James Stewart this same year – the other two, in Thunder Bay, and The Glenn Miller Story (all of them directed by Tony Mann). In the wake of the latter’s monumental success, with Stewart’s reincarnation of the iconic band leader extraordinaire wringing salty tears, but also ringing cash registers around the world, The Naked Spur’s critical and financial success (it earned $2,423,000 in the US and Canada and another $1,427,000 overseas, earning MGM a whopping $1,081,000 profit) was allowed to slowly fade into obscurity thereafter. Nevertheless, the picture’s reputation did not. The Naked Spur is set in 1868. After some overwrought main titles, orchestrated by composer, Bronislaw Kaper, we meet Howard Kemp, sneaking up on prospector, Jesse Tate and his mule enjoying their breakfast. Holding the old codger at gunpoint, Kemp eventually shows Tate a ‘Wanted’ poster for Ben Vandergroat, albeit, with its $5,000 reward neatly ripped off. Kemp offers Tate $20.00 to show him the place where Ben last spent the night. Assuming Kemp is a sheriff, Tate obliges. After all, $20.00 was a lot of money back then. However, shortly after leading Kemp to the spot, the pair are intercepted by Ben who stages several rock slides from his mountain precipice to keep them at bay. Firing several shots in the air, Kemp provokes the arrival of disgraced cavalry man, Roy Anderson. Considering Ben’s capture more a lark and a spree, Anderson manages to anchor a rope to the rocks, scaling the cliff to ambush Ben – unaware, he is about to be surprised by the villain’s cohort, Lina Patch. A struggle ensues. But Ben is eventually subdued when Kemp and Tate arrive with their weapons drawn.

Ben is taken prisoner, but very quickly determines the easiest way to plot his escape is to drive a wedge between Kemp and his fledgling alliances. To this end, Ben makes Kemp’s cohorts aware of the $5,000 price on his head. So, Kemp has been holding out. Now, he begrudgingly agrees to a 3-way split from the return of Ben to Kansas to stand trial. We discover Lina is the daughter of Ben’s best friend, killed during a bank robbery. Lina, however, believes in Ben’s innocence, the second linchpin in his psychological campaign to turn the group against Kemp. Anderson is drawn to Lina. Meanwhile, Ben suggests to her Kemp too is unpredictable with the ladies and will eventually take advantage of her virtue without him there to protect her. Scouting a mountain pass, Kemp and Tate spy a tribe of Blackfoot, forcing Anderson into a confession - they are after him for raping the chief's daughter. Kemp orders Anderson to ride away. The Blackfoot are honorable and will not attack them. Alas, as the tribe approach, Anderson guns down their chief. In the ensuing battle Kemp saves Ben, but is wounded in the leg. Embarking upon their journey again, Kemp passes out from the pain and, later, becomes delirious, recalling the Civil War and mistaking Lina for Mary, his one-time fiancée.

Ben reveals to all that, far from the perfect mate, Mary was a gold digger who sold Kemp's ranch while he was away and ran off with a wealthy man. Kemp's one-third share of his reward will not be enough to buy back his ranch. Lina begins to believe Ben may not be telling the truth about Kemp, and thus, confides in Kemp her belief Ben is a good man who will take care of her, if they are allowed to escape to California. As the group prepares to embark the next day, Anderson suggests Kemp will only hold them back. He proposes the others move on ahead, leaving Ben with a map of their proposed route, to catch up later. But Ben wisely deduces Anderson is hoping to divide and conquer, plotting to keep the entire reward for himself. And so, he sojourns on with the rest, despite his pain. Hoping to put a period to Kemp once and for all, Ben deliberately loosens his saddle cinch, kicking it loose as they navigate their way along a steep precipice, sending Kemp over the edge where, mercifully, a tree breaks his fall. That evening, Ben becomes aware Kemp has begun to develop feelings for Lina. A hellish thunderstorm forces everyone to take refuge in a mountain cave. Now, Ben encourages Lina to play to Kemp’s need for human contact while he stages a daring cave-in and escape. Nevertheless, Ben is recaptured by Ben. Anderson has had enough. The ‘wanted’ poster says ‘dead or alive’. So, why not murder Ben and bring the body back for the reward money. Tate, however, is not up for a killing, and neither is Kemp, who offers Ben back his gun for a legitimate showdown. This, he sheepishly refuses.

Nearing a violent river, Anderson lassoes Ben around his neck, intending to drag him across. Kemp, however, resists the urge to be as brutal. Anderson and Kemp brawl, but come to an understanding. While Lina prepares a fire, Ben appeals to Tate’s greed, offering him a gold mine if he should follow him. Tate finds the offer irresistible and departs at night with Ben after the others have gone to bed. Too late, Tate realizes he has made a pact with the devil. Ben lures the prospector to a dead-end gulch where he mercilessly executes him with relish, hoping to draw Kemp and Anderson out in the open so he can murder them too. Anderson and Kemp approach and discover Tate’s body.  Lina, having finally realized Ben is no good, now thwarts his attack on the Kemp and Anderson. While Anderson keeps Ben occupied, Kemp makes his way around the other side of the cliff in his planned ambush. Discovering Kemp scaling the cliff from behind, Ben nearly shoots him in the face, before Kemp uses his spur in self-defense, driving it deep into Ben’s cheek. Writhing in pain, Anderson gets a clear shot and shoots him dead. Ben tumbles into the raging white waters below. A desperate Anderson dives in after him to bring back the body for the reward money. Alas, the current is too strong. After securing a lasso around Ben’s body, Anderson is rammed by a dislodged log and drowns. Kemp drags Ben’s body back to shore. But with Lina’s encouragement, he forgoes his own vengeful desire. Instead, he and Lina bury Ben’s body before embarking upon their long, hard journey, presumably bound for California and a new start together.

The Naked Spur has some compelling moments. And to be sure, the acting from James Stewart, Robert Ryan and Millard Mitchell is first-rate. But the picture strangely lacks the impetus of a western drama to make it stick and click as it otherwise should. Instead, we amble through a series of well-intended vignettes, some more deftly executed than others. There’s some smoke here, but not a lot of fire, with Mann’s sustained direction doing more to diffuse than generate the necessary tension to carry the story from one plot point to the next. The Rolfe/Bloom screenplay gives us a lot of scenes depicting the slow erosion of uncomfortably allied friendships, born of necessity than loyalty.  Stewart’s Kemp is meant to be a man alone…until he finds his perfect mate in Lina. But Leigh’s luscious lass spends far too much time here as Ben’s dutiful dupe. Her emotional transference from Ben to Kemp is played in only a moment or two and comes off as more enterprising than emotional. She just wants to get to California. Whether Ben or Kemp take her is irrelevant. Even after Lina discovers Ben is a ruthless bastard, Leigh plays out her character’s emotional response as more straight survival, than an epiphany to change her mind and heart for the better. While I enjoyed The Naked Spur, it doesn’t quite rank in the same category as some of Tony Mann’s other immortal classics…at least, for me. Good, but not great is the way I would describe it.

But great beyond all expectations is how I would rank its Blu-ray debut from the Warner Archive (WAC). The Naked Spur has always looked washed out and careworn on home video…until now. Prepare to pitch all other media formats of this classic into the trash. Because from top to bottom this new-to-Blu is a quality affair as only WAC can serve up, applying their due diligence, time, efforts – and, yes, money, where it counts. From the outset, with its ‘blood red’ main titles popping off the screen, to the verdant Colorado landscapes, and the sweat sparkling off galloping horses, there is nothing to complain about here. So, get ready to be dazzled by these fully-saturated Technicolor hues. Contrast is ‘bang on’ excellent and fine details could never want for more. For the first time on home video, we can practically see the thread count in these appropriately weathered costumes, and distinguish between the crusty denims and warm woolen fleeces worn by the stars. Wow! What a fabulous looking disc. The 2.0 DTS mono is excellent, with solidly represented dialogue that is crisp and clean, and, Bronislau Kaper’s bombastic score, booming with refinement and clarity. No complaints. Okay – one. Apart from a theatrical trailer – NO extras.  Nevertheless, WAC has again shown why, when it comes to film preservation/restoration, their output ranks in a class apart. Very high marks, indeed!

FILM RATING (out of 5 – 5 being the best)

3.5

VIDEO/AUDIO

5++

EXTRAS

0